Born To Wutai
by Leonora T
Summary: Wutai is a land steeped in traditions and Yuffie isn't sure if she can take them anymore. Much less raise her new born son in the country. YuffiexVincent pairing


Not much to say...so on with the fic!

Born to Wutai

When a royal child is born in Wutai, they aren't born into the royal family, they are born into Wutai. Much like the cherry blossom trees that were plentiful and deeply rooted in the ground, the royal children were apart of Wutai. They were considered the very blood that ran through the nation's veins. That is the way it always has been and always will be.

Knowing this, it's no surprise that just the mere knowledge of a royal pregnancy caused Wutai to spring to life into a colorful celebration. However, to see something really extravagate you'd simply have to wait till the actual birth happened.

The streets exploded with people. The drums played and the Wutaian flag waved proudly from the very tip of Da-Chao. The citizens prayed on their knees to the Water God for a healthy heir to the throne while the children skipped around town with beautiful decorated pin wheel like contraptions chanting songs that had been sung since the very first Wutai Monarch's birth.

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To an outsider...it was a peculiar sight indeed. Wutai was an interesting if not confusing nation, Vincent finally thought as he closed the curtain. He glanced over to Yuffie who laid on a huge bed obviously in much pain. Her contractions had begun some hours ago and the chamber maid/midwife had stepped out for some things

"UGH! I wish they would stop with that $#ing drum!" Yuffie hissed in pain as she covered her ears with her hands in annoyance. If Vincent wasn't afraid for his own safety he would go over to comfort his wife, of course he had a few bruises to show where that generous act would lead.

"Yuffie I"

"Shut up Vincent." She yowled as another painful contraction hit. "Where the hell is Yokan?" Yuffie mumbled.It was bothering Vincent to see Yuffie in so much pain so against his better judgment he took a few steps toward the bed only to have his head nearly bitten off. "GET OUT VINCENT! I NEVER WANT TO SEE YOU AGAIN!" She yowled like a mad cat.

"I'm here Miss Yuffie!" The short brunette woman scurried in the room with towels and other things. She placed them all on the floor but before she attended to Yuffie she turned to Vincent. "You MUST leave now. It is Wutiain tradition that the father wait in the temple room with the family." Great, the last thing Vincent wanted was to be alone with Godo. The man pure despised him. Then again, maybe Godo would be in a grander mood today, after all he was finally getting a heir to the throne.

Not one to protest Wutaian tradition and seeing how Yuffie had already demanded him to go, Vincent nodded only to hear Yuffie say. "Oh no you don't! Get your arse back here Vamp! You are going to suffer just as much as me." Did labor pains really make a woman this zany?

"But Miss Yuffie-"

"I don't want to hear it! This kid may be your future ruler but it's our child" Without saying anything Vincent walked to the top of the bed and rested his hand on Yuffie shoulder which she quickly removed and began to squeeze with ungodly strength.

That is when it dawned on Vincent. He had never seen the birth of a child...much less his own. And with that thought the reality of the situation suddenly came rushing down on him. So much so that he nearly felt light headed. Surely if he was a certain blonde swordsman he would have passed out by now from just the mere thought of the life changing event taking place before him. But Vincent managed to remain conscious though noticeably anxious.

He felt Yuffie smirk and he looked down and her sweat drenched face. "Big tough Vinnie nervous? That's something new..."

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The sun was finally starting to go down and it would only be a matter of time before the moon began to rise in the sky. The Wutaian air which was earlier warmed by the sun was now getting a sharp chill. One by one the villagers began to whisper among themselves. "Maybe the child shall not be born today." "Maybe something is wrong." "I'm not sure what's going on but I only hope the mighty Water God doesn't punish us for allowing that outsider to sire the future ruler."

The words continued to buzz around and it seemed that no one seemed to notice Yokan slip out from the house and whisper something into the Rikio's ear. With a nod of understanding, Rikio cleared his throat and with a booming voice said, "Silence." The elderly man immediately gained everyone's attention. "People of Wutai, I present to you your future ruler." With that four large built man exited the royal house, each helping supported an elaborate and expensive cradle that was draped in only the finest linen. "Jareth Godo Grimoire Valentine. Prince of Wutai"

The roars of celebration was almost defying as the cradle bearers walked down the street. Everyone was scrambling for glimpse of the little Prince and some desperately tried to touch the babe's tiny hands in the hope it would bring good luck upon their family. It was a dangerous time for everyone but Jareth as people were often trampled and hurt in the mela.

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Yuffie had actually given birth to her son hours before hand but was un willing to let him go. Now she sat in a chair near the window, obviously tired and exhausted as she watched the people below throw a commotion over the tiny infant. She felt a strong hand on her shoulder and gently placed her own on top of it. "Wutai hasn't had a male heir born in nearly 60 years you know." She commented to him half-heartedly. A moment of silence passed between the two new parents. Each lost in their own thoughts. Finally Yuffie broke the quiet. "Vinnie..." Her voice was a bit coarse and she was noticeably shaken up about something.

"Yuffie, what's the matter." Vincent bent on his knees to get to her level as he gently wiped a few stray tears off her cheek. He had no idea what was wrong and was extremely concerned.She looked at him with sad eyes and a bit of helplessness that made his heart break.She looked a lot different then the pain filled, violent Yuffie only hours ago

"I don't want him to be raised in Wutai." She finally sniffled as he handed her some Kleenex and she began to compose herself.

"Why not?" Vincent was a bit confused. "This is your home"

"But its not your home, Vincent. Don't you know how tough it will be for you to live here"

"I'm truly not concerned about myself at the moment. The only thing that matters to me is you and Jareth"  
Yuffie rolled her eyes dramatically. "If we stay here there will be no you, me and Jareth. I will be kept cooped up now that I have a child so that I can practice my chores as a woman, you'll be ridiculed and cursed for being an outsider and Jareth will be practically raised by maids and servants. I hardly got to see Godo or my mother when I was a child. I missed out on so much because of these stupid traditions"

"What are you proposing Yuffie"

"I want to leave." The tiny, tired woman finally said as she looked down to the ground, a bit ashamed that she was turning her back on her duty and her nation. But having a healthy and happy family was more important. "I should have never came here..." Yuffie said in distress as she placed her head in her hands. "I should had done as Tifa said, I should have just stayed in Midgar until I had the baby, that way for sure I could avoid all this." She flailed her arms around in a dramatic gesture to the extravagate room.

He knew there was no need in arguing with her. He always thought Yuffie had a strange detachment for her country. No...not detachtment. It was obvious she cared for this land and her people but somehow Yuffie couldn't see herself apart of it. It wasn't until that moment did Vincent realize why. Even as a child, all Yuffie wanted was to be by her mother and father's side which she seldom had the privilage of doing. And fate would have it that her mother would die without truly getting to know her own daughter or her own daughter knowing her.Yuffie only wanted those she cared for and loved by her side Not this materialistic and tradition obsessed culture that only over complicated life's simplest things.

"Don't worry." He spoke softly and reassuringly to his love. "I'll take care of it."

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The gray eyed brunette found herself walking into things. It was so hard to keep her eyes off of the sleeping bundle in her arms. "Vincent, he looks just like you." She said for the seventh time that night as the party of 2.5 carefully crept through the royal house. "Aw...look...he just yawned!" She said far too loudly then she should have and received a firm hand over her mouth.  
"Yuffie we are trying to sneak out of here, remember?" Vincent reminded. "And though I have the Death Penalty the last thing I want to do is use it on your own people." Suddenly remembering the mission at hand Yuffie fell silent as a mouse.  
Once they made it outside to the Zen Garden, Vincent began picking up the pace. He knew very well that just south from here was a heavily guarded area and that they had to be careful. He prayed the baby stayed asleep and that Yuffie stayed silent as well. It was only a little ways until they were out of Wutai, and hopeful their pilot friend would be there to pick them up as promised.

The Emperor of Wutai sat in his red wood chair that had been in his family for centuries and watched a large aircraft take off to the sky in the distance. With a sigh he folded his arms, disappointed, upset but not infuriated. Why did his daughter always have to make things difficult?

Godo arose from his set. "The Wutaian blood courses through the Prince's veins. It will lead him back here, as with the longest cherry tree root...it always leads back the tree."

Hmm...I may do another part, when Jareth is a little older and he wants to go back to Wutai or something..I'm not sure. Oh and I was watching two Marie Antoinette movies (2006 version and the 1938 version. The 1938 version was better but the 2006 one was gorgeous) and this inspired this fic to some degree. Thanks and review!

S.S.


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